November 2, Isaiah 56
The LORD GOD, who gathers the outcasts of
Israel, declares, “I will gather yet others to him
besides those already gathered.” - Isaiah 56:8
I hope you don’t, but you probably do know how it feels to be excluded. It might have been on the playground at school, among a close knit group of friends or an inner circle in the office that did not include you. It’s painful to be left out of a group you’d like to join. Maybe you lacked necessary credentials or prerequisite experience. You might have been from the wrong side of town or not had enough money. It hurt when the group members made it clear that you weren’t one of them and weren’t welcome. It’s especially hurtful when you’re left out on the basis of something beyond your control.
God’s remnant people didn’t fit in with the ungodly Israelites around them. The Lord assured them that he would gather them. And he told them there would be other outcasts who would join them when he gathered them to himself. He specified two other groups, one that had been excluded by race and the other by a commandment he had given centuries before their time.
The words of Chapter 56 are an interesting mix. They look ahead to some things under Messiah’s new covenant. But God expressed what he required of his people Israel in the context of their existing covenant. Messiah’s covenant would be more inclusive. It would give the people of God a new name, a name better than the sons and daughters of the physical descendants of Abraham. The new covenant would include some people the old law excluded on the basis of their birth, or an injury that resulted in ceremonial uncleanness.
God gave two examples of inclusion that were coming to assure the outcasts they would be gathered to him. He specified Gentiles and eunuchs. The eunuchs were men who had been emasculated by an accident or by an enemy. The Gentiles had not been included in the covenant God made with Israel at Mt. Sinai. But the Law made provision for Gentiles who became believers and wanted to worship the God of Israel. God’s exclusion of eunuchs from the congregation of the Lord may have been about the promises to Abraham that through the line of his descendants Messiah would come. A man who could not father a child might be shamed in the same way women considered having no children a shame because of those promises related to descendants. The eunuch’s exclusion may have also been similar to the laws about priests having no physical blemishes or impairments as representatives before the people of God’s perfection and holiness.
The facts of life in exile just ahead for these Israelites might also explain why God spoke of gathering some Gentiles and eunuchs with his faithful ones. Many of the leading young men (like Daniel and his friends) were emasculated when they were taken to Babylon. Isaiah prophesied that the sons of Hezekiah would be eunuchs in captivity. They would not be excluded from the congregation of the faithful ones in Babylon on the basis of the injury. Also, Israelites might have close contact with friendly Gentiles in captivity, who might unite with the Israelites and adopt their God.
I believe the name “Christian” is the new and better name God promised. God gave it through Paul at Antioch when the Gentiles were being included in the church as they heard and obeyed the gospel. I suspect the Ethiopian eunuch Philip taught was familiar with this promise, since he was studying the prophecy of the Suffering Servant just three chapters before this one. No wonder he went on his way rejoicing after he met Philip, believed in Jesus and was baptized into Christ. Imagine that joy becoming contagious among the Gentiles as they heard the gospel, left pagan idolatry behind and came to Christ, included and accepted by God at last!
God said his salvation would come for the person who kept justice and did righteousness. He pronounced a blessing on those who kept (obeyed) God’s laws and kept (restrained) their hands from doing evil. The Jews were laser-focused on being the flesh descendants of Abraham, sometimes with no regard for God and his law.
The end of Chapter 56 describes the sorry state of Israel’s leaders in the days of Isaiah during the reign of Manasseh. Instead of leading the people to respect and serve God, these leaders were blind and unaware of the threats around them. They were selfish, indulgent, drunk and lazy. They were headed for ruin when the invaders arrived, and by their sorry example were taking a lot of others with them. With leaders like those, the Israelites were easy prey for the invading Babylonians.
If you’ve known the pain of exclusion, I hope you’ve also experienced the joy of being included. But even if you’ve never been accepted and included, take comfort in knowing that you are welcomed by God himself among his people. You can come to God through the sacrifice of Jesus for you. In Christ, you are a member of God’s family. That’s the best group of all. In eternity, nothing else will matter but being in the company of the saved.
Copyright © 2023 by Michael B. McElroy. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Today in God's Word—November 2023
East Tallassee Church of Christ
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